2A/N: This here one-shot is for my best friend (and over-the-ocean buddy) Dani, also known as EvilMuffinx here on fanfiction. Check out her stories, they're pretty great! :)
Gone and Back Again
Dani Rathbone groaned shutting her advanced biology book. Whoever said college classes were easy were full of shit in her opinion. Of course she had to go after her dream, which had the most complicated (well, in her opinion) classes.
"Why the long face?" Megan Slade asked, walking into her shared dorm room with Dani. "Is all the studying finally getting on your nerves?" She teased.
Dani and Megan were completely polar opposites, but that's what they thought made them such good friends.
Dani was more mature, calm, quiet, and collected. She had long, soft curly brown hair and hazel colored eyes.
Megan, on the other hand, had dark brown almost black hair with dyed in bright red streaks. She preferred to be a "unique individual" as she always told Dani. She also blew off most of her studying, sometimes skipped classes, and she wasn't the quietest or most mature person Dani ever knew.
(A/N: Here's what the girls look like: cgi/set?id=49545590)
Dani sighed, "Yes actually."
Megan smiled, triumphant that Dani admitted it. "Well, then, how about you come with me to the Starlight Festival in the park tonight."
"What time is it?"
"Does it matter?" Megan asked, and then proceeded to try to change the subject.
Dani pressed, "Megan, what time is it?"
"Oh, you know, nine thirty to one o'clock." Megan casually answered; nodding her head like it was no big deal.
"I'm not going." Dani grabbed the biology book again and opened it to the last page she was on. A diagram of the insides of a horse.
"?" Megan pouted, jumping over a bed to get in Dani's face. "Pretty please with sugar on top?"
"I can't believe I'm doing this." Dani sighed at 9:15. "How did you convince me to do this?"
"You did it because you love me." Megan smiled, putting on the finishing touches of her makeup. She turned around and struck a pose. "What do you think?"
She looked Megan up and down and groaned silently in her head. "What are you wearing?"
"You don't like it?" Megan looked shocked, making motions at her loose red t-shirt, very short black jean shorts, and her leopard print pumps. "What's not to love about this?"
"No offense… but you kind of look like a hooker." Dani stated.
"I do not! And like you look any better!" Megan added, referring to Dani's dark blue zip-up hoody, white tank top, skinny jeans, and Vans. "What fun is that?"
She picked up her stuff and headed out the door.
"At least I don't look like a hooker." Dani muttered, following her out soon after.
(A/N: Party outfits! starlight_festival_outfits_dani_megan/set?id=49547564)
The Starlight festival was a lot more impressive than Dani expected it to be.
There were paper lanterns strung up around the park, they were the only things lighting the place. There were a couple table set up holding drinks (some alcoholic, some not) and snacks to munch on while people talked and listened to music, either the soft Taylor Swift songs that were playing in the background, or the up-and-coming new star that was singing live for publicity.
"I'll get us something to drink," Megan said, as a very cute boy with longer brown hair passed them.
Dani rolled her eyes and continued to walk, figuring that Megan wasn't going to be back anytime soon.
Surprisingly, Dani was having a fun time all by herself, humming along with the current Taylor Swift song.
"There I was again tonight Walls of insincerity, All I can say is it was enchanting to meet you Your eyes whispered, "Have we met?" And it was enchanting to meet you This night is sparkling, don't you let it go
Forcing laughter, faking smiles
Same old tired lonely place
Shifting eyes and vacancy
Vanished when I saw your face
Across the room your silhouette
Starts to make its way to me
The playful conversation starts
Counter all your quick remarks
Like passing notes in secrecy
All I can say is I was enchanted to meet you
I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home
I'll spend forever wondering if you knew
I was enchanted to meet you…"
"You're a great singer." A guy's voice said from behind her. "You should be up on that stage instead of that girl."
That voice was really familiar… too familiar. It couldn't be. Dani turned around to face a tall, blonde haired boy with big eyebrows.
"I'm Kendall Knight," The boy smiled, holding his hand out for Dani to shake.
Dani sighed to herself. Good, he didn't know who she was. She wasn't ready to face all those bad memories… at least not yet.
Dani shook his hand. "Nice to meet you. So… what brings you to the festival?"
"I'm actually on a break from college with my three friends. We decided to take a road trip, and Atlanta is one of our stops. So far, it's pretty cool. What about you?"
They continued walking down the path, farther and farther away from the crowds.
"I actually go to college here." Dani answered, wondering if he would put two and two together, and find out who she really was.
She remembered always discussing with Kendall, James Diamond, Carlos Garcia, and Logan Mitchell her future plans.
The four guys were going to stay in Minnesota, Logan going for a doctorate, Carlos going for either law enforcement or to be a stunt devil (he never made up his mind), James going for dramatic arts or modeling, and Kendall for anything related to sports.
"That's awesome, I'm from snowy Minnesota." He grinned. "You don't get too much sun- or starry nights for that matter. What are you going for?" Turns out he didn't know she was Dani Rathbone yet.
"I want to be a marine biologist. First I have to take some normal biology courses, I wasn't the best in those classes back in high school." She answered, staring at his face, waiting for him to make the connection. There was no way he couldn't.
And he did. His eyes got wide, and his mouth dropped open. "No… Dani Rathbone? It's really you?"
"Yeah… it's really me." She said quietly. "It took you long enough…"
"It's just- you look so different! In a good way, I mean. You look great, and you're following your dreams… great." He nodded, smiling nervously.
They hung out a little bit longer, joking around, trying to act like they did when they were best friends in Minnesota.
But it was just so… awkward. Too many things happened before senior year was over, and too many feelings were coming back, feelings he would never return to her.
"I… I have to go." Dani said, quickly, before any tears could come down her face.
"No, don't." A pleading look appeared on Kendall's face as he reached for Dani's arm.
"No," Dani shook her head furiously. "I have to. It was nice seeing you again."
She took off in a sprint towards the entrance of the park.
"Hey, Dani! Wait, where are you going?" Megan asked, holding the hand of James, as Dani ran by her.
Dani didn't even stop. "I've had enough. I'm going home. I'll see you then, have fun with James."
Dani got into the cab, finally letting the tears come out. Why did she have to see him again? She held the feelings in for so long, that they finally went away, but now they had to climb back to the service, as strong as ever. How was she even going to forget them now?
Kendall Knight really couldn't believe it. Dani, his best friend Dani, was in Atlanta of all places, at the party he went to.
He knew things were tense between them, they had been for awhile now, but he thought she would have gotten over it.
Dani, Carlos, Logan, James, and he were the best of friends, the Frightening Five some people called them, because of all the craziness that happened when they were together.
All of that changed though, when Dani announced something shocking to him. She had feelings for him. She said it as plain as day to his face, shy and embarrassed… and he crushed her.
Kendall didn't have the same feelings for her. At that moment, he was crushing on Monica Fitzpatrick, a preppy girl who now, Kendall realized, was frankly a big bitch.
Dani didn't say anything though after he rejected her. In fact, she never brought it up at all, and acted like it never happened. She went back to being cheery ole' Dani. But not for too long though… about three months after, halfway through senior year, Dani started avoiding the four boys, coming up with excuses whenever they wanted to hang out, sitting with some girl friends at lunch, all of it changed, and it didn't get better.
And after that, Kendall had started to get feelings her, he realized how unique she was… but he was too late.
Dani basically cut herself out of his life for good.
It was a month after the festival, and Dani had finally gotten back on track, keeping Kendall from all her thoughts. She focused mainly on her grades, avoiding anything remotely fun, and always avoided Megan when they were in their dorm together.
Dani was again, sitting at her desk, studying her book, and taking a few notes, just in case Professor Fletcher decided to throw in a pop quiz.
Knock, knock, knock.
Who would even be at the door at this hour? Most students were either out partying, or back in their dorms, studying or asleep.
Dani got up slowly, seeing if the knocking would go away, but it didn't. She sighed and walked over to the door.
"Hello… oh, it's you." Dani said, looking at the oh-so familiar blonde haired boy in her doorway.
"Hey," Kendall smiled widely. "Can I come in?"
"How do you even know I lived here?" Dani demanded, blocking the doorway.
"Well, after you ran out, I chased after you, but I lost you near the entrance, there was some hooker, I guess, she was with James, and she told me where you lived. I finally worked up the guys to come see you. Nice PJs by the way." He joked.
Dani looked down, her face burning despite herself.
(A/N: Dani's PJ's: cgi/set?id=49649632)
"It's my room, I can wear whatever I want." She said, defensively.
"Chill," Kendall held his hands up. "I think it's cute."
He slid under Dani's arm and made his way to her bed and sat down. He patted the spot next to him. "Sit,"
She didn't move at first, unsure if she should go over to the boy she never forgot… she did.
Kendall smiled and put his hands on her face. "I never forgot about you, you know that?" He brushed a strand of hair from her face. "After you stopped hanging out with us, Carlos wasn't the only one who was deeply hurt."
Besides Kendall, Carlos Garcia was Dani's closest friend. Those two had never left each other's sides when they were together. And they always had pulled the best pranks.
"Why now?" Dani whispered. "Why now of all times? Why couldn't you just say it whenever I started leaving you guys?"
"Because," Kendall started. "I didn't realize my feelings until after you were out of my life. You were the one piece I was missing."
He tilted her chin up and started to kiss her softly. Dani's insides fluttered, the moment was too perfect!
"Ahem," Megan coughed from the doorway.
"That's the hooker who told me where you lived! What's she doing- oh… is she your roommate?" Kendall asked, his eyes going wide.
"Yeah, I am, and I'm not a hooker thank you very much." Megan glared. "I'm very happy right now with one guy. And you seem very happy too." She informed Dani.
Dani giggled nervously. "Thanks, Megs."
Megan smiled, showing she really didn't mind Kendall called her a hooker. "You're welcome. Now go on, you two can go back to kissing. I'll just come back later… but only kissing! I'm not coming back to anything else awkward!"
"Megan!" Kendall and Dani yelled in unison, their faces both turning bright red. "Go!"
"I'm going, I'm going." Megan laughed, walking away.
"Now that she's gone," Kendall leaned in and started kissing her again.
"Promise me one thing." Dani said.
They were on Dani's bed, Dani in Kendall's arms, just laying there.
"Yes?"
"Never leave me again, ever." She pleaded, clutching his hand. "I don't want to go through that again."
"I won't." He promised, looking her in the eyes. "I was gone, but now I'm back, and we'll be together for as long as we both shall live."
So here it was, I hope you like it Dani! And happy late birthday, sorry it's two days late!